Former NBA stars Charles Barkley, Joe
Dumars and Dominique Wilkins, University of Connecticut Women’s Coach Geno
Auriemma, former Big East Commissioner David Gavitt and Italian National
Team Coach Sandro Gamba were introduced today as members of the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2006. The announcement was made
in Indianapolis, Indiana, site of the 2006 NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Auriemma, Barkley and Gavitt were elected to the Hall of Fame in their
first year of consideration. Wilkins, Dumars and Gamba have been named
Finalists previously.

The Class of 2006 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, MA
September 8 & 9, 2006. Tickets to the 2006 Enshrinement Gala and Induction
Celebration are available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 781-6500.

Class of 2006 Bios

GENO AURIEMMA was born in Montella, Italy and was raised in Pennsylvania
where he was a graduate of Montegomery County Community College in Blue
Bell (1974) and West Chester State College in Pennsylvania. Auriemma began
his coaching career as an assistant girl’s coach at Bishop McDevitt High
School in Wyncote, Penn. (1976-1978) and went on to coach as an assistant
women’s coach at St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA) (1978-1979),
assistant boy’s coach at Bishop Kenrick High School (Norristown, PA)
(1979-1981), and assistant women’s coach at the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville, Virginia (1981-1985). In 1985 he became the women’s coach
at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut and just completed
his 21st season. He has led the Huskies to an amazing five National
Championships, eight Final Four appearances and two undefeated seasons.
His teams have compiled more than 570 wins at UConn, where he has been
named National Coach of the Year five times and captured 14 Big East
regular season and 12 Big East tournament titles. He has guided his team
to ten 30-win seasons, 17 straight NCAA tournament appearances and an NCAA
record 70 straight wins. Auriemma has also been the assistant coach of the
United States gold medal team in the 2000 Olympics, head coach of the
United States gold medal team at the 2000 Junior World Cup Qualifying
Tournament in Argentina, head coach of the United States bronze medal team
at the 2001 FIBA Junior World Championship in Czech Republic. He is
enshrined in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame (2002) and the Women’s
Basketball Hall of Fame (2005).

CHARLES BARKLEY, a native of Leeds, Alabama and attended Auburn University
in Alabama, Barkley averaged 14.1 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per game
in his career at Auburn. During his career with the Philadelphia 76ers
(1984-1992), the Phoenix Suns (1992-1996) and the Houston Rockets
(1996-2000), Barkley was selected to 11 NBA All-Star games as well as the
All-NBA First Team five times and the All-NBA Second Team five times. He
won an Olympic gold medal with the 1992 United States Olympic Dream Team
and was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the 1993 season. A member of the
NBA’s 50th Anniversary team, Barkley averaged 22.1 points per game and
almost 12 rebounds per game in his 16-year NBA career. He shares the
single game record for most offensive rebounds in one quarter (11 in 1987).

JOE DUMARS, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, played his entire
professional career for the Detroit Pistons, becoming a key component of
the squad that went on to win back-to-back NBA Championships (1989 & 1990).
After being drafted by the Pistons out of McNeese State, he immediately
made a name for himself as a defensive stopper and steady offensive
performer in the NBA by being named an NBA All-Rookie Selection (1986).
His defensive skills were honored by being named to the NBA All-Defensive
First Team four times (1989, 1990, 1992, 1993), and his overall play was
rewarded by being named a six-time NBA All-Star and the MVP of the 1989 NBA
Finals. Dumars is currently the President of Basketball Operations for the
Detroit Pistons and is credited for assembling the team which won the 2004
NBA Championship.

SANDRO GAMBA, a native of Milan, Italy, has coached in Europe for over 30
years,; including Italian Division I professional league teams Simmenthal
(1965-73), Ignis (1973-77), Turin (1977-1980) and the Italian National Team
(1979-1992). Gamba has coached four Italian Olympic teams (1980, 1984,
1988, 1992), and led the 1980 squad to a silver medal. His Italian
professional teams have won five Italian League championships, a European
Championship, a Champions Cup and Cup of Cups title. In addition, his
national squads captured a gold medal at the 1983 European Championship.

DAVID GAVITT is a native of Westerly, Rhode Island and began his
contributions to the game as a head coach at Providence College where he
would lead the team to eight consecutive 20-win seasons, five NCAA
Tournament appearances and one Final Four. He served as the Chair of the
NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee from 1982 to 1984 and is
responsible for the expansion of the tournament to 64 teams, the use of
domed stadiums for the Final Four, and expanded the CBS television coverage
with the first contract. Gavitt was the president of USA Basketball from
1988 to 1992. He is the 1995 recipient of the Conference Commissioners
Association Merit Award and served as the Chairman of the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors.

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DOMINIQUE WILKINS was born in Paris, France before coming to the United
States and becoming a Parade High School All-American, collegiate star at
the University of Georgia and an NBA All-Star known for his amazing
offensive power and high-flying above-the-rim game. During his career with
the Atlanta Hawks (1982-1994), LA Clippers (1994), Boston Celtics
(1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97) and Orlando Magic (1998-99), Wilkins
was a nine-time NBA All-Star (1986-1994), a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion
and named to the All-NBA first team in 1986. Wilkins is one of only three
Atlanta Hawks to have his jersey (21) retired, and his incredible dunks and
aerial acrobatics earned him the nickname “The Human Highlight Film.”

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game
of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate, men and women.